"Gus Malzahn is one of the best coaches in the country, not just the SEC," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday at SEC Media Days. "I think everybody knows that. They don't win that national championship (in 2010) unless he was there. I think everybody knows that, too."

Spurrier was in a friendly mood Tuesday on the dais inside The Wynfrey Hotel's ballroom and heaped praise on rival coaches and programs. He backed up his Malzahn claims, citing his record against Auburn at South Carolina.

"He's a sharp guy," Spurrier said. "He and I, I think, are pretty good friends. We don't really look forward to that game. But we got to go in there and give it our best shot."

Spurrier often teams up with Malzahn and Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze on golf courses across the southeast in the summer. The visor-wearing SEC coaches have formed a friendship over the last two years.

Before becoming Auburn's head coach, Malzahn was the Tigers' offensive coordinator for three seasons and helped guide the Tigers to a 22-19 victory -- along with Heisman quarterback Cam Newton -- against Oregon in the BCS National Championship in 2010.

Malzahn orchestrated the greatest turnaround in SEC history in 2013 and effectively changed the program's course following a 3-9 season in 2012 under then-coach Gene Chizik, who hired Malzahn as his offensive coordinator in 2009.

Auburn finished the season 12-2 with an SEC championship and a berth in the BCS National Championship.

The media here at SEC Media Days picked Auburn to finish sixth in the SEC West and Missouri fifth in the SEC East last season. The teams then met in the SEC Championship.

"What he did last year was amazing,' Spurrier said of Malzahn. "... Nobody picked Missouri and Auburn to win the divisions last year. That's why we play the game. We don't know who's going to win 'em."

Auburn hosts South Carolina on Oct. 25. The Tigers are 9-1-1 against South Carolina, and Spurrier is winless (0-5) against them as the Gamecocks' coach. The Tigers swept the Gamecocks on their way to the BCS title in 2010, including a 56-17 victory in the SEC Championship.

"They have outplayed us, out‑coached us and everything," Spurrier said. "But we'll go in there with a plan. We'll look forward to trying to upset them on the Plains."

Auburn beat South Carolina 35-27 the last time the Gamecocks traveled to Auburn in 2010.

"It's a very loud place," said Gamecocks left guard A.J. Cann. "It's extra pressure when you can't hear yourself over there. They've got a very good team and we're looking forward to playing them at Auburn. It will be a fun game."

Malzahn has long admired Spurrier dating back to the Ol' Ball Coach's days at Florida. Malzahn was a high school coach in Hughes, Arkansas at the time.

"He was wearing a visor way back before anybody else was and I was coaching high school," Malzahn told AL.com in 2013. "I thought that was pretty cool, so I started wearing a visor."